Apr 10 UMD Softball Head Coach Jen Walter Reaches Milestone Victory

Earlier this month, the University of Minnesota Duluth Softball team secured wins number 17 and 18 on the year against St. Cloud State in their first home games of the year. Playing and winning your first home games of the season are always important, but these victories were a little extra special.

Head Coach Jen Walter picked up career win number 500, a truly impressive feat.

“It doesn’t really hit you until it actually happens”, Walter said. “You start thinking about all the different players that you’ve been able to coach and teams you have been a part of. It’s not so much the individual games but the stories about the players and the people that you coached. Any time you think of that, it brings it all back.”

Walter coached at St. Scholastica for 16 seasons before coming down the road to UMD last season.

“It’s funny, when I leave my house I would always go down the alley and take a right to go to Scholastica, but to come to UMD I take a left”, Walter said. “I messed that up a couple times early on because you get into a habit. It was definitely weird to move down the hill, but I consider myself pretty lucky to get this job and not have to move out of the city that I love.”

Walter owned a 447-223 overall record with the Saints which is good for a .684 winning percentage. During her time with the Bulldogs, Walter has a very impressive 59-25 record good for a .702 winning percentage. Needless to say, she has been very successful wherever she has been.

“It starts with having really good players”, said Walter. “Coaching them and trying to help them become better players is important, but really it’s about them becoming comfortable with what they are doing and just go out and play. We really preach being great teammates and playing for each other.”

The Bulldogs continued their winning ways last weekend going 3-1 and taking one game against No. 18 Minnesota State Mankato.

“We are on a mission to be the best team in our conference, and the only way we can do that is to perform at the level we are capable of right now”, Walter said. “If we can focus on doing the things we have been doing up to this point, the rest takes care of itself.”

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In 1998 UMD made the decision to dedicate a space on campus that focuses on diversity and international students. This is called the Multicultural Center. It is a place that is meant to help enhance academic achievement, create a sense of belonging, celebrate diversity and foster positive relations among UMD students, faculty and staff.